


Interpretations

by Leonawriter



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Genesis' LOVELESS special interest actually saves the day, No Copies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 14:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15293394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leonawriter/pseuds/Leonawriter
Summary: Angeal finds himself accomplice to Genesis’ schemes, but this isn’t like when they were kids, with Genesis dragging him along; they’re adults, and Genesis is a wanted man, a traitor to the company, and this could get them both killed.





	Interpretations

**Author's Note:**

> The entire fic and AU was started by my eyes lighting on the phrase "You have no idea." in a list of prompts. I immediately knew that this was Genesis, and it started from there. More or less.

“We’re in trouble, aren’t we.”

Angeal knew it even as the words left his mouth. He didn’t need confirmation, even though he could see the way Genesis was smiling - not quite viciously, but something full of bitter rage tempered by dark humour that he was still having trouble coming to terms with.

“You have _no idea,”_ Genesis said. 

Angeal groaned, and leaned back against the wall, removing Buster Sword before he did so, holding it flat in front of his face, wondering just what he should _do._  

He’d never been in a situation like this before. Nothing could have _prepared_  him for having to deal with anything _like_  this.

He sighed, and let the sword down again.

“You’re gone six months and now suddenly you tell me all that, and… I don’t know what to think. How did you-?”

Genesis shrugged.

“My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess,” he quoted. For a moment he gazed off into some middle distance before coming back to the here and now. “While Hollander wanted me to follow him blindly like some lost and injured chocobo, I never have been very good at simply agreeing with just one interpretation of things, as you should know.” 

Angeal did, if only because of how many times Genesis had complained about how the new sensationalist production may have even been more correct on some small few points than some of those who had made their profession out of studying the old play.

“You look so far into that thing, you could have gone professional yourself, if you hadn’t wanted to get into SOLDIER so much.”

There was a smile - the ghost of the kind that he had once thought of as far more common, far more _Genesis_  than this new, harsh, and jaded man in front of him. And then it was gone, Genesis going back to business.

“Hollander wanted me to turn the SOLDIERs I had encouraged away from Shinra’s grasp into… copies. Copies of _me_ , with only slight variations on my skills and abilities.” Which sounded - Angeal couldn’t even _begin_  to describe to himself just how _wrong_  that was. What worried him was how Genesis talked about it, with some element of _morbid curiosity._  “I, however, was far more interested in the other thing he had mentioned.”

Which was a whole other issue entirely, and Angeal winced.

“You said you were…”

“Dying, yes.”

All of the breath left him at once.

The idea of Genesis _\- Genesis_ , dying… it was… 

Unthinkable.

“So you went looking elsewhere.”

“Essentially,” Genesis said airily. “I knew that Hollander would be the foremost authority on the process of degradation, as well as is causes, but… I had my questions as to whether he would be the only one able to _cure_  it. Just because science is able to replicate the effects of materia, does not make it any _better_  than those formed directly by the Lifestream itself, of course.”

And Genesis would know best, when it came to things like materia. He always had been a natural.

“Of course.”

“To cut a long story short, I went to several other sources only to find out some rather _interesting information,_ Hollander died tragically, and I’ve been building up my army ever since.”

“We _had_  been wondering just who’d been suddenly supporting Wutai, you know. They were supposed to have been under Shinra, and then- well, I guess we know now.” He sighed. “I suppose it’s too much to hope, that you aren’t working with AVALANCHE too-”

“Do I _look_  like an idiot, Angeal?” The words came out practically hissed, fire in Genesis’ eyes. “They _took my men._ I was the one who led the raid on the science department for all the information they had on the Jenova Project, but- I had hoped that you would _know_  that I value my men more than that!”

“According to Shinra and _your own words_ , Genesis, you’re a traitor and you’re amassing an army against the Company - and you’ve just made me an accomplice to that tonight! I had every right to ask. Don’t you dare say I didn’t.”

For a hot minute it looked like Genesis’ temper was going to just keep burning brighter, but then it looked as though all the strength left him in a single breath.

“They would have come after you eventually regardless of whether tonight happened or not. I’m sorry, Angeal.”

“What? Because you’re my friend?”

He had to admit, Shinra had _already_  tried to encourage him to use his bond with Genesis against the man, which had led to many sleepless nights spent trying to figure out how much any of this had to do with _honour._

He wondered, sometimes, where his _dreams_  had gone.

Aside from teaching Zack, things were starting to look… bleak.

“Well, that as well, I suppose. But no. Unfortunately,  _you’re just like me_.” Genesis laughed, then - a hollow laughter that rang discordantly in Angeal’s ears. “Why create a project and end it only with one subject? Far better to have two… or _three.”_

Angeal’s breath came in sharply, and he kicked himself away from the wall that had essentially been holding him up through their conversation so far. 

_You’re just like me._

_Why create a project and end it only with one subject?  
_

_Far better to have two… or three._

_“_ Genesis, I don’t- what you’re saying doesn’t make any sense, I don’t-”

“I need your help, old friend,” Genesis was saying now, however, all sincerity and solemnity, “more now than I ever have before. I need _you._  Can you help me?”

Angeal shook his head - there was too much confusion, too much clash between what Shinra had told him and what Genesis was now saying.

“What? Tell me what you want first, and _then_ I’ll say whether I’ll help or not.”

Genesis inclined his head.

“A reasonable suggestion,” he said. “What I need… is for you to do exactly what you do best, of course. I need you to bring SOLDIER together, and tell them exactly what they are. Tell them how Shinra is obstructing the truth from them, with everything they’re told. They follow orders like wolves trained to be lapdogs, you know. We could overthrow Shinra _on our own_ , and no one would be able to stand in our way. Well? Will you help me?”

Angeal closed his eyes, and for a childish moment hoped that he would open them to find he was waking up from a surreal dream.

“I’ll have to tell Sephiroth about this, you know,” he said instead.

Genesis gave him that laugh again.

“I was counting on it.”


End file.
